Hydration profile of the Latin American population and the contribution of total daily pure water. The ELANS study

Abstract Introduction: water is a crucial component of human health useful for various bodily functions. Despite its importance, previous research has largely overlooked hydration in Latin America, focusing instead on regions with greater access to a variety of food sources. Objective: hence, this study provides comprehensive data on water consumption patterns in this region and analyses the hydration profiles of urban Latin American populations, emphasizing the role of pure water in daily intake. Materials and methods: involving 5977 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru, the study utilized a cross-sectional approach, examining total water intake (TWI) through two nonconsecutive 24-hour dietary recalls. This study focused on understanding the contribution of pure water to daily hydration and identifying disparities in water consumption patterns across different demographic conditions by measuring the TWI from beverages. Results: the findings indicated significant variations in hydration profiles based on country, sex, and socioeconomic status. The median TWI was 3245.6 g/day, with a median water intake from beverages of 1982.9 g/d kcal, which represented 61 % of the participants’ total water intake. A total of 63.8 % of the overall sample met the TWI recommendations. Our data indicate that 38.4 % of the water intake came from plain water, followed by coffee and tea (16.9 %), commercial sugar-sweetened beverages (13.7 %), and homemade SSB (11.7 %). Conclusion: these findings contribute to a deeper understanding of nutritional behaviors and may serve as a basis for future studies and health interventions focused on improving hydration habits, with emphasis on pure water consumption, especially in urban areas in developing regions.